How to Make a Home Safe for Pet Sugar Gliders

Making a home safe for a pet sugar glider is an essential part of its care requirements. Don't attempt to bring a sugar glider home before you've made your home safe for it. Put extra effort into sugar glider proofing your kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms; these places pose the greatest threats to your furry friend.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Keep all electrical outlets covered. Invest in electrical outlet covers used to prevent baby access. Place all electrical cords in places where your sugar glider cannot reach them. If the cords are unable to be put out of a sugar glider's reach, consider coating them with a safe substance that is known to repel sugar gliders. Store items like blow dryers, irons curling irons and other items requiring heat or electricity away.

2. Prevent sugar gliders from entering vents, air conditioners and heating appliances. Find materials that can easily fit into these items and block entryways without causing a hazard. Aluminum screening or hardware cloths are popular choices.

3. Take care to ensure that all ceiling fans are powered off when a sugar glider is brought into the room. Block access to holes if the fan or its blades have them.

4. Use furniture slipcovers. Have one for each bed, recliner, couch or other major furniture piece in your home. Consider putting extra sheets under beds to block access to box springs.

5. Remove items that are potentially sharp, pointy, fragile, tiny or poisonous. Jewelry should be placed in secure containers and cosmetics and personal care items like razors, medications and body products need to be locked away.

6. Clean your home regularly. Many of the dangers posed to sugar gliders are contained in refuse or improperly stored items in your home.

7. Shut all cabinets and other areas into which your sugar glide might crawl. Appliances like VCRs and cassette players need to be blocked. Cover trash cans.

8. Eliminate standing water. Cover toilet bowls and aquariums. Drain sinks and bathtubs; push stoppers down once you have finished draining. Empty out vases and pet water bowls.

9. Close doors and windows. Repair doors and windows if their screens or structures have holes in them.

10. File important papers away. Sugar gliders like to chew on paper and will not hesitate to shred documents.

11. Store caffeine and chocolate products from a sugar glider's reach.

Tips & Warnings

• It's best to make each room in your home safe for pet sugar gliders. Sugar gliders are curious creatures and will often try to escape from their habitats.
• Decorate your home with plants that are sugar glider safe.
• Proofing your home is not an excuse to let your sugar glider roam unsupervised.